By Ainslie Cromar – Life Editor
Actors from educational improv troupe Mission Improvable will perform their show about alcohol abuse awareness, “A Shot of Reality,” on May 16 from 1–2 p.m. in the Gaiser Student Center.
Angela Dechand, the Activities Programming Board’s educational events coordinator, organized the event featuring the touring skit, which involves around two dozen actors.
Matt Garard, the group’s tour manager, said the organization began about 20 years ago as a small group of students from University of Massachusetts Amherst. Garard said the show is now nationally recognized and contracted to perform regularly as part of the United States Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Program.
Garard said students can count on laughter, not a lecture. “People love it because it’s like a breath of fresh air,” he said.
He said the topic is especially important to discuss on college campuses because college is usually when students are seeking new experiences while being away from home. Garard said irresponsible drinking can be damaging and there are many ways to send that message.
“It’s not a preachy anti-drinking show,” he said. “It’s more of a big brother talk.” The focus is on humour and new forms of learning, but there are still serious moments which offer their own lessons.
“It’s not going to be what they expect,” Garrard said.
